Bedtime

We have always had issues with Isaac going to bed. I think it's because he was our first and we were never as firm with him about bedtime as we should have been. We also made mistakes with letting him sleep on our floor when he was sick and now he is always trying to sleep on our floor. He's also gone through periods of being scared of the dark. With the girls we knew better and they are great sleepers. After an initial period of a few weeks where Indiana was testing to see if she could get out of bed and play without getting punished she has conceded defeat and stays in her bed all night long just like Abigail.
We also have another issue now because Isaac is getting to the point where he doesn't need to go to bed as early as the girls, but I think we have come up with a pretty effective solution. Now that Isaac can both read and tell time he knows that everyone goes to bed at the same time, but he gets to read an extra hour or so before he has to turn off his reading light and go to sleep. I love going in to check on him and finding him asleep on a book with his headlamp on. I wish I could take a picture without waking him up. This has been a great solution for us though because he's quiet, he is working on his reading skills, and he is practicing telling time. The only big problem is when he falls asleep with his nose in a book I have to wake him up a little to get the book put away.

Potty Time

One of the most exciting times in the parenting journey is potty training. There's nothing like anticipating the last diaper change, no longer buying diapers and wipes, and being able to do away with the stinky pail in the garage. Personally in the five and a half years since my personal parenting journey started I have not experienced a day that I have not had at least one in diapers. Now with Indiana starting to show and interest and having sporadic success with using the toilet I can see a glimmer of light at the end of this diapering tunnel.
I had forgotten about the early days of potty training. I'm not sure when Isaac and Abigail were officially potty trained, but I know it was around two because I worked hard on potty training once I had a new baby in diapers too. But I do recall the cheering and clapping and excitement the first time they went on the potty. Today they all gathered round as Indiana went to the bathroom for the first time. Very exciting and Indiana loved the audience.
All this excitement of pottying made me think of one of my favorite teaching moments. I teach the 1st - 3rd grade class on Wednesday nights. I have a good group of kids, but they always enjoy the studies with a little gore or something gross. So one day while we were reviewing David's life I mentioned the time when David and his men were hiding in a cave and Saul came in to use the bathroom.  Of course, the kids then insisted I show them exactly where they could find this in the Bible.

1 Samuel 24:1 KJV - And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
1 Samuel 24:2 KJV - Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
1 Samuel 24:3 KJV - And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
1 Samuel 24:4 KJV - And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
1 Samuel 24:5 KJV - And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
1 Samuel 24:6 KJV - And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.

They were so thrilled with this new knowledge that I went on to tell them that there was at least one other case I knew of when someone was thought to be going to the bathroom. In truth in this case he was actually murdered, but his servants thought he was using the bathroom. In Eglon's case, he was also called extremely fat, which only made the story more appealing to the students.

Judges 3:17 KJV - And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
Judges 3:18 KJV - And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
Judges 3:19 KJV - But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
Judges 3:20 KJV - And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
Judges 3:21 KJV - And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
Judges 3:22 KJV - And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
Judges 3:23 KJV - Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
Judges 3:24 KJV - When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
Judges 3:25 KJV - And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

Mommy or Wife?

Abigail: Mommy when I'm big as you I'm going to grow up and have my own kids. And when my kids get out of bed I'm going to go whack them.
Me: Why? Because it is a mommy's job to...
Abigail: Train up the child. And when I get big I'm going to have to get a Daddy.
Me: No, you will need a husband.
Abigail: No, my husband is going to be Bryan.
Me: Oh, okay.
Abigail: Is Daddy your husband?
Me: Yes, when you get married the boy is called the husband.
Abigail: Oh, what are you?
Me: I'm Daddy's wife. The girl who gets married is the wife and the boy is the husband. When they have kids then they are a Mommy and Daddy too.

Catapult

This past Saturday I went a Ladies' Day in Tennessee. While I was gone it was Daddy day. And the kids had projects to do with Daddy. Abigail painted a birdhouse, and Isaac built a catapult. This morning he was explaining the "Catapult Rules" to Indiana.
Okay Indiana, here are the rules:  Always watch where you're aiming. Never aim at places where people are at. And always aim at targets.

Here is his video explanation.

The cleaning crew

One of the many things I learned after having Isaac was that I should have made him pick up his own toys way earlier than I did. It was just so much faster if I did it myself, but it taught him a bad lesson. The girls have always been much better about picking up and with their help Isaac has gotten better too. Always looking for new ways to encourage picking up, Jake played a clean up game with the kids while I was sick recently. The great thing was that they loved it and wanted to pick up all the time, the downside was that they made messes specifically so they could later play the pick up game.
Indiana is by far the most concerned with cleaning though. Since she could walk she has had to pick up her room before she could come out to play after her naps. She picks up all her toys and blankets and puts them back on her bed. The other day she was downstairs gathering all the plastic cups and bowls and throwing them into the sink for me. One thing though that she has started now that she can reach the drawers in the kitchen, is that she puts the silverware back in the drawer. The problem is she takes them off the table after they've been used and puts them away. I now have to remember to check the drawer at night when I clean up the kitchen and pull all the dirty silverware out of the drawer.

The Secret to Eating Veggies

I usually make a big serving of stir fried vegetable that we eat for two or three meals. I've tried a variety of vegetables, switching out the unpopular vegetables in search of the right combination. So far we know they'll eat green beans, onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and squash. Turnips and parsnips are definitely out. Even with the most popular vegetables it's a struggle to get them to eat a small serving each. Today I decided to break out the mandolin slicer and julienne all the veggies. They ate everything! The more homogenous mixture and smaller vegetable size seems to have made all the difference. Of course this could just be a fluke, but I'm looking forward to further testing.

Kids and Creation

Overheard while the kids were supposed to be doing their schoolwork; a discussion on creation.

Abigail: He created sticks and flowers and mud. And He created grass in our backyard.
Isaac: No, He didn't create mud. He made the rain fall and when dirt gets wet it turns into mud.
Abigail: But Isaac, sometimes when it's not wet it turns into mud.
Isaac: No.
Abigail: Oh, no. (followed by laughing) Did God create hats and belts?
Isaac: No, but bunnies are created by God.
A: Dinosaurs?
I: Yep, they sure were.
(Hysterical laughing)
A: Are eyes created?
I: Yes
A: Are chins created?
I: Yes
A: Are tummies created?
I: Yes
A: Are backs created?
I: Yes
A: Ears created?
I: Yes
A: Necks Created?
I: Yes, okay Abigail that's enough silliness.